Chapter 7 The Deal

• He came back and sat down on one of the couches but not where I was sitting.
• "So how do you find my house?" He asked. Is he trying to make a discussion between us?
• "I checked his student information for it." I replied to him.
• "Thank you by the way. I was carried away that I forgot my son for hours. I am really grateful to you." He stared at me before he looked away.
• "You are welcome." I said as I felt uncomfortable.
• "I will go and check on the meal, I am coming back." He said as he stood up.
• "Should I come and help you?" I asked him.
• "No, please. I can handle it. Feel at home." He disappeared into the kitchen after that.
• I sighed as I relaxed.
• The rain should just stop already.
• I need to go home. I am already feeling uncomfortable.
• He served dinner and went inside the house, he came back with his son and seated him down.
• "Dinner is ready!" He announced. Should I go or not? I should go, I am damn hungry.
• I went to the dining area and took my seat. He served me my dinner and he served Henry also. Then he served himself.
• "Thank you." I appreciated him.
• "It's nothing." He replied to me.
• The dining room wasn't silent through out the dinner. Henry kept gisting his father about what happened at school and Mr Owen was also responding to him interestedly. Is this how they talk on the dining table? They lack table manners.
• I hesitantly put one spoon of the dish in my mouth and damn it was so delicious. I can't believe a man can cook this well. How can he cook to this extent? Perhaps, he ordered it. That was just a suggestion, though.
• But no one knocked on the door. They must have passed the backdoor.
• My cooking can't stand beside his. I put another spoon in my mouth devouring the meal but conscious of being civilized.
• "Are you enjoying your dish?" Mr Owen asked me.
• I think he is not that bad after all.
• "My dad cooks so well. He is the best cook in the world." Henry said with excitement.
• I smiled at him.
• "Yes. Thank you." They continued eating after my response. After a few minutes. I stopped eating. If I finish eating the meal, they might think I am one hungry person or even a glutton.
• "Are you done with the meal?" He asked as he looked at my plate.
• "Yes, I am full." I told him shyly.
• "You haven't even eaten half of the meal. But thank you for eating my meal, anyway." He stood up and walked to my side.
• Why is he coming here?
• "Please, the plate." He said and I stood up instantly.
• "I can carry it myself. where is the way to the kitchen?" I asked him.
• "Don't worry please, let me carry it to the kitchen. You are a guest here." He took the plate and carried it to the kitchen.
• I can't believe this is the Blake Owen I argued with days ago. Like what the fuck? He is totally a changed person.
• "I am going to my study room. I have to do my assignment." Henry said as he stood up from the chair and ran inside.
• Mr Owen packed the plates away and cleaned the dining room. I should have helped him but he declined my offer. At the same time, the rain is falling heavily, so I don't think I will be able to leave anytime soon.
• My phone buzzed up and I checked the notification.
• "What?!" I yelled in surprise. They have increased the interest of the loan I obtained when I wanted to buy my house furniture. They have increased it by percent. How am I going to pay back?
• "Are you alright?" Mr Owen asked as he walked up to me.
• "No, I am not just... Never mind. I am okay." I cleared my throat.
• "Okay." He said as he stared at me before leaving I looked away from him.
• What's his business with mine?
• I mailed the loan company angrily. I almost cursed them. We have a fixed interest rate. Why would they increase it? And why would they increase it without notifying me?
• Blake's point of view:
• Is she okay? Why would she yell like that?
• I went to the kitchen and sat down looking at her from a distance.
• Is she okay?
• I hope we are safe.
• My phone rang and I picked it up. It was Cesar.
• "Hey bro." I said.
• "Hey, there is a problem." he said with panic.
• "What's the problem?" I asked him.
• "The contractor gave us the deadline. The deadline is next week. They said if we do not hurry up, they will give it to another company." He explained.
• "What? What should we do?" I asked him.
• "Get a woman to marry." He said.
• "I don't have one. I have tried. There should be another way to get the contract without marital status." I told him.
• "There is no way, bro. That's the only way. Do something about it.." He hung up after that.
• Fuck! I am in real shit!
• I looked over to the dining area, looking at her back.
• Should I?
• Wait.
• Should I ask her about the deal? Should I just propose the deal to her?
• I called my friend and private investigator, Raymond.
• He picked up immediately.
• "Hey, I need you to do a job for me. I need you to find out about a lady. Her last name is Maxwell. I don't know her first name. She works at my son's school. I am giving you just ten minutes to do that."
• "Okay, boss." He hung up after that.
• I trust him with that.
• I waited for him to call back, tapping my fingers against the kitchen island.
• Minutes later,my phone buzzed up and I checked the notification.
• She got her information within five minutes. This guy is good.
• And I checked it.
• Her full name is Sophie Maxwell. She is the daughter of a drug dealer. She was disowned by her parents and chased her out of the house when she was twenty two years old. She started teaching two and half years ago.
• The most important thing is that she is into debt. A lot of debts. She has obtained a lot of loans that she has been unable to get back and her salary isn't helping.
• She is into student loan
• She is into work loan
• She also got a loan from a private loan company.
• She is just trying to survive I guess. But her survival is what I will use that to let her sign the contract with me.
• I went out of the kitchen to the dining area where I was busy sitting, looking out of the window.
• I am sure she is staring at the rain.
• "Miss Maxwell." I called as I sat across from her on the dining table.
• She looks at me uninterested.
• "Mr Owen?" She called my name.
• "Are you okay?" I asked her.
• "Am I?" She asked herself.
• "I have a deal for you and I am sure it will benefit you." I told her straight. I have no time to waste.
• "Deal? What's the deal?" She asked.
• "I know what you are going through,I know you are in need of money to pay off your debts. I will help you pay it off and In return I need you to do something for me." I stared at her, waiting for her reply.
• Sophie's point of view:
• How did he know I am into debt?
• What deal is he proposing?
• Does he want me to have sex with him? No, I am definitely not doing that.
• "How do you know about my loans and I know what you want. Well, unfortunately I am not having sex with you, I don't want any sexual relationship with you." I said with confidence. I just want to leave this place.
• Only God knows what he is planning.
• "Sex? Who told you I want to have sex with you? I am not interested in it." He said sternly which made me feel so embarrassed.
• "Okay, so what's the deal?" I asked him, feeling embarrassed. I shouldn't have thought he would want to sleep with me.
• "I am going to marry you for a year. And I will be paying you monthly. And also I will pay off your debts." He said.
• Marriage?!
• He is definitely joking.
• I am not ready for marriage.
• Why would I want to get married at my tender age? It is not even part of my agenda.
• And to the person I barely know?
• "I am so sorry, I am not interested." I told him.
• "Can I ask you the reason why you ain't interested?" He stared.
• I guess he has a habit of staring into someone's soul.
• "Because I don't want you." I told him.
• "Okay. How will you pay your debt? The debt is almost 51,000 dollars. I will also be giving you a monthly salary of 20,000 dollars which at the end of the year, you will get the sum of 240,000 dollars which you can use to start your own business." He elaborated.
• That's huge. I popped my eyes out after hearing the amount of money he was going to offer.
• I shouldn't be too greedy, right?
• I think I should be greedy but not too greedy and I shouldn't look greedy.
• "Why do you want to get married for just a year?" I asked him.
• "There is property I need to access and the bank wants me to have marital status before getting it." He explained.
• That explains a lot.
• No wonder he wants to get married in just a year.
• It is for his business. It is a business deal.
• "Oh! Don't you have anyone that can get married to you? I mean your girlfriend or so." I asked him.
• "My girlfriend refused to help me." He said curtly.
• "Why me?" I asked him.
• "I need to urgently. If I don't get a woman today or tomorrow, then I will lose a huge contract before me." He explained.
• I looked at him studying him for a while.
• "So deal or no deal?" He asked.